Social Security Card Fraud Attorney in Michigan

Social security fraud is a serious crime in the United States, and, often, it is the foundation for many cases of identity theft. Because his Social Security Number (SSN) is one of the most important pieces of identity that an American citizen can have, if a thief takes another’s social security card, that thief can open financial accounts, sell an identity to undocumented workers, get medical care, file for fraudulent tax refunds, file for unemployment or Social Security benefits, or commit crimes (if the thief is caught, he/she may tangle the victim into his/her criminal history).

According to Title 18, U.S. Code, Section 1028, it is a federal crime to “knowingly transfer or use, without lawful authority, a means of identification of another person with the intent to commit, or to aid or abet, any unlawful activity that constitutes a violation of federal law, or that constitutes a felony under any applicable state or local law.” As such, if you’re under investigation or have been arrested for social security card fraud, you could be facing some very serious penalties in federal courts.

Federal Identity Theft Crimes

With the growth of the web and the amount of personal data on it, identity theft is one of the fastest growing crimes in America. Furthermore, because Social Security card thieves can enact substantial and long-term damage on their victims, whether through their credit reports or other sensitive aspects of their identities, the FBI and many other federal agencies take identity theft very seriously.

Title 18, U.S. Code, Section 1028, known as “fraud and related activity in connection with identification documents,” describes the several ways that an individual can violate this federal law with Social Security cards, including:

Producing a falsified card

Transferring a card knowing that it was stolen or produced without lawful authority

Producing, transferring, or possessing a document-making instrument

Transferring, possessing, or using the identity of another to commit a crime

Trafficking false or stolen Social Security cards

According to this federal statute, individuals convicted of any of the above crimes can face imprisonment for not more than 15 years. Individual can face up to five years imprisonment for the following offenses:

Possessing with intent to use or transfer five false Social Security cards

Possessing a false or stolen card with the intent of defrauding the United States

Aggravated Identity Theft Crimes

The severity of an identity theft crime is highly dependent upon what the alleged offender did with the stolen Social Security card. For instance, if a person uses a false or stolen social security card to commit or facilitate domestic or international terrorism, then that individual could be facing imprisonment for up to 30 years.

In addition, the alleged offender could be facing up to 20 years imprisonment if he/she committed any of the following acts with stolen or fraudulent Social Security information, including:

Facilitating drug trafficking

Committing a violent crime in connection with the fraud

Committing fraud after a previous, similar offense has become final

To further prosecute incidents of identity theft and Social Security card fraud, the federal government passed the Identity Theft Penalty Enhancement Act of 2004. There are many features of this Act that expand prosecuting powers, ease of conviction, and length of punishments for identity theft crimes.

Contact Grabel & Associates for Your Fraud Defense

Being convicted of a federal crime can be a terrifying experience, especially when you could be facing years behind bars in a U.S. federal prison. With such dire consequences, it is crucial to consider the expertise and skill of criminal defense attorneys familiar with cases of Social Security card fraud. At Grabel & Associates, we can guarantee a leading team of defense lawyers who will always put your interests at the forefront of our litigation strategy. In other words, we work for you. Additionally, using our wide network of resources, we will challenge the prosecution’s narrative, evidence, and witnesses from every angle with evidence and industry-leading defense strategies of our own.

When you find out that you’re under investigation or arrest for social security card fraud, make sure to call our federal crimes law office as soon as possible. The earlier we can start building your defense case, the better. For a free consultation with our criminal defense attorneys, contact our law office at 1-800-342-7896.

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